One of the toughest choices people make each Thanksgiving holiday is determining how they’ll be pairing the perfect wine with their delicious meal. The thing is, it’s not complicated at all! Most sommeliers suggest Pinot Noir. This delicious red wine is your best bet for an all around great Thanksgiving dinner. Its low acidity will help you enjoy the cornucopia of flavors provided by both the beverage and meal.
Even better, however, are the approaching frugal choices coming from west coast vineyards. Because as they often say, “the more the merrier”.
Before deciding on which wine will go best with your meal, ask yourself, “Are my side dishes more on the extra sweet side?” If so, sommeliers recommend either Sauvignon Blanc or Riesling.
While you may feel you’ve reached a decision, let’s go through our three choices in more detail.
Pinot Noir
Pinot Noir roughly translates to pinot meaning pine and noir meaning black. This choice has a light/medium body with distinctive aromas reminiscent of dark berries and, in some cases, a light “farmyard fruity” flavor. Here’s a bit of trivia for you to share at the dinner table with guests; pinot alludes to the tightly packed grape cluster vaguely shaped like a pinecone.
Sauvignon Blanc
Sauvignon Blanc comes from the French sauvage meaning “wild” and blanc meaning “white”. In a nutshell, this choice has a zesty flavor that can best be described as medium to high acidity. Its herbal, fruity, musky but fresh, and bright flavors and appearance all come together spectacularly for an addition to your Thanksgiving meal.
Riesling
Our third and final choice, Riesling, gets its name from the German word räuschling; a descriptive term describing vine leaves rustling. Its fruity notes and high level of acidity are common in wines from the Rhine region of Germany. This is one choice to really consider when deciding which wine will accompany your meal.
A Final Thought
One last point to consider is the ‘terroir’, or in simple terms, the conditions of the soil and climate where grapes for wines are grown in. Considering these two factors will help determine the uniqueness of the flavor and aroma for your wine. This also plays into the different variations of wine classes.
Here’s an extra bit of trivia; some chefs will innocuously incorporate the wine from the selection they intend to serve into their cooking. Typically, they introduce just a drizzle to deglaze a pan after cooking to bring out any remaining flavors or will even add a few drops to gravy sauces. It wouldn’t hurt for you to try the same.
Count your blessings, always drink responsibly and bon appetit!
